Monday, October 28, 2002

Bishop Thomas V. Daily of Brooklyn, N.Y., formerly a top-ranking official in the Archdiocese of Boston, knew the Rev. Paul Shanley endorsed sex between men and boys, but promoted him to head a parish in Newton, according to a deposition made public Monday.

Daily, who served as chancellor, vicar general and auxiliary bishop in the Boston archdiocese from 1977 to 1984, promoted Shanley to administrator and acting pastor at St. Jean's parish in Newton in 1984, where he allegedly went on to molest and rape boys.

....Daily gave sworn testimony in August in civil lawsuits filed by three men who claim they were sexually abused by Shanley at St. Jean's. The same men are involved in criminal complaints against Shanley.

In the deposition, Daily acknowledges that he considered Shanley a "troubled priest" who needed help. He said he knew Shanley had attended a meeting of the North American Man-Boy Love Association and had spoken in favor of the group.

But under questioning from civil attorney Roderick MacLeish Jr., Daily said he had not received any reports of Shanley engaging in such activities himself.

"The only thing, the only saving feature of it is that we are talking about ideas and opinions in his promotion verbally ... to my knowledge at the time, he wasn't involved in activities," Daily said.

Daily said there was no indication Shanley was promoting sexual relationships between men and boys at St. Jean's parish, but was speaking in favor of the idea in other parts of the country.